Diabetes can be a tough opponent to face, but when it's affecting your reproductive health, the battle becomes even more challenging. For couples desiring parenthood, understanding how diabetes impacts fertility can be the first step toward managing this complicated health issue.

Impact on Men and Women

Diabetes, in both its type 1 and type 2 forms, can impair fertility in both genders. Elevated blood sugar levels can disrupt hormonal balance, leading to issues like irregular periods or absent menstruation in women and erectile dysfunction or reduced sperm quality in men.

This hormonal imbalance may also result in genetic abnormalities, heightening the risk of congenital irregularities and compromising sperm and embryo quality.

What are the Risks?

Women with diabetes face an increased risk of miscarriages and stillbirths and may require post-natal intensive care for their newborns.

Men may experience issues such as erection problems, ejaculation disorders, lowered testosterone levels, and reduced libido. Moreover, diabetes can cause a decline in sperm volume and quality, with an accompanying increase in abnormal sperm.

Managing Infertility

The treatment plan for infertility largely depends on its cause. For instance, metformin could be used to treat Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), while surgical interventions may help with pelvic inflammatory disease-related issues.

In men, various treatments are available for erectile dysfunction and ejaculation disorders. If these measures prove insufficient or the cause remains unidentified, assisted conception treatments like in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI) might be considered.

Effective Preventive Measures

The prevention of fertility issues related to diabetes largely hinges on good control of blood glucose levels and maintaining a healthy body weight. Since stress is a common factor behind fertility problems, implementing measures to manage stress is highly beneficial.

While diabetes can pose significant challenges to fertility, understanding these challenges is the first step to managing them effectively. Keeping blood glucose levels in check, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing stress can all contribute to better reproductive health for individuals with diabetes.